Espanha (parte 1/3) - Fechados no gueto do castelhano

Uma banda de Metal que nasce em Portugal, sabe que para as letras o Inglês é a única língua viável, a única capaz de atingir um público-alvo que permita assegurar a subsistência da banda.

Em Espanha é bastante diferente.
A legislação que protege genericamente o castelhano, e em particular a música cantada em castelhano, faz com que o mundo musical espanhol esteja bastante fechado sobre si mesmo. Por um lado, ao contrário dos portugueses, podem cantar em castelhano, porque Espanha, a América Latina e mesmo o elevado número de emigrantes na América do Norte, garante-lhes um enorme mercado, por outro lado têm muitas dificuldades em entrar no resto da Europa e do Mundo, precisamente por causa das letras, e sendo fechado em si mesmo, os novos estilos demoram a ser assimilados.
A consequência é um Metal quase estagnado. As principais bandas, como Mago de Oz, Avalanch, Saratoga ou Tierra Santa, continuam a cantar em espanhol e a fazer o mesmo metal desde os anos noventa.

Aqui fica, por exemplo, Septima Estrella dos já extintos Tierra Santa, para mim a melhor destas bandas.



Sim, eu sei, parece o cruzamento entre os Iron Maiden do final dos anos oitenta e uma telenovela venezuelana, mas é do álbum Legendario de 1999.

Restam as excepções: os pioneiros Dark Moor, os primeiros a colocarem a Espanha no mapa mundial do Heavy Metal, e duas bandas que apareceram já no século XXI, Forever Slave e Runic.

European Metal tour

Darklands returns from vacations with an European Metal tour.
After talking about the veterans of Portuguese Metal, and about the new bands that are starting to get some success, I will no talk about Metal in the remaining European countries.
I'm expecting to do a post every other day, each one about one country.

Gwydion - Lusitan Vikings

In the last of this series of posts about new bands that will likely take far the name of Portugal in the Metal world, before I leave for some deserved vacations, I will talk about the band that got me more enthusiastic in recent times.
I don't know if it's because Viking Metal is one of my favorite genres, and rarely found outside North Europe, or because I like to see this battle axe spiked in the Potuguese Doom Metal forest, but either way the music is good, a solid mix of Viking Metal with softer Folk melodies.
With a very appealing themed design, and a great sound fit for my taste, Gwydion have catch my attention and I will be following with interest their next releases.

The Spektrum - Haunting the Web

In their 5 year career, the band from the small village of Batalha, has one album release, is working on it's successor, and have been doing inumerous shows. They are evolving at a strong pace and, a rarity in Portugal, have a solid presence in the Internet.
The Spektrum sound is a Melodic Death Metal, sometmes with extra speed and extra punch. Something a bit undefined, but that caught my attenton. I think they ae on the right track.

Ava Inferi - Doom on a female voice

Didn't include them in yesterday's Doom Metal post because Ava Inferi are different and interesting enough to justify a completely exclusive post.
On one hand, their sound is not pure Doom, as a fair share of Gothic infuences, triggered by the intense voice of Carmen Simões, not exactly a rookie in the business (if you can find it, listen to her in the band Aenima - very interesting sound).
On the other hand, the experience brought to the composition by the ex-Mayhem Rune Eriksen really adds value.
A few songs sang in Portuguese are a welcome bonus, as they always work well when mixed with others in English, and don't produce any damage on their international career.

Doom - The Metal "Fado" (Fate)

Doom Metal, a slow genre, sad and oppressive, is the one with more followers in te best new bands in Portugal. Looks like we can't escape our doomish fate. We better show our talent in the sadest genres.



I highlight the bandsProcess Of Guilt, Desire, Before the Rain, and also the new kids in the Doom block Mourning Lenore, which are preparig their debut album.



It's not one of my favorite genres, but with this level of quality, is always something we need to apreciate and cherish.

Heavenwood - promising comeback

Heavenwood were founded in 1992 with the name Disgorged, and playing Death Metal.
A change in style to a more Gothic genre took them to relesing two albums in 1996 and 1998, but the band eventually went on a hiatus in 2001.
In 2003 they star doing shows again, and record a few songs in 2007, that originated the release of Redemption in 2008.
This new album gave a new boost to their career. They are currently preparing a new release for next year, that I am eaggerly awainting.
Here is one of the songs on Redemption.

RAMP - Metal solid

18 years after te release of their first EP, RAMP are still building their way, one step at the time, with the security granted by their expertize.
I heard them for the first time in 1992, the Last Child ballad was included in a Hit Parade compilation. Since that start, until their lastest album, Visions, release in 2009, a raw and heavy record, faithful to the unique sound they have been developing throughout the years, goes a solid path, built with hard work, that the Portuguese Metal scene can count on.
Here is Blind Enchantment from that album.

Tarantula - The parents of Portuguese Heavy Metal

To many, the best Heavy Metal band in Portugal, in spite of Moonspell more notorious career. One thing, nobody contests, they were the first ones.
With a sound between Iron Maiden and Helloween, in their 30 year long career, they have followed the same trajectory. They started with a typical 80's Heavy Metal, but in te 90's evolved to a more typical Power Metal sound. Here is an example, the title track of teir sixth originals release.



To prove that this band is well alive and making music, in two months is released Spiral Of Fear, the new album from Tarantula.

Oratory - missing in action

Another Portuguese Metal band that started an international career, but unfortunatelly, this band, although still exists, is long forgotten. I found them in 2000, when they launched their debut album Illusion Dimensions, which was really promising. Two years later, they release a concept album dedicated to the Portuguese Discoveries. Beyond Earth was a bold and risky move, but a victorious bet. Powerful riffs, catchy chorus, and Ana Lara's voice, produced an album that made Oratory in a strong contender in the Metal scene. It was an album full of amazing songs, like this one...

But after this successful start, the band got lost in concerts, and had no releases during 3 years. Interludium, released in 2005, was below par, when compared with Beyond Earth, and was their last work, until now. But the absense of news isn't usually a good sign.

Having more bands with the notoriety of these gents must be a goal ...

They are, no doubt about it, the Portuguese Heavy Metal act (and possibly musical act of any genre) with the best international career. They are the ones other portuguese bands must lookup, not musically - each band has it's own style - but in career management.
That's why it makes all the sense that they should be the ones to have the honor to open this blog. The song choice wasn't meaningless too... I started listening to Moonspell 15 years ago when they releases Wolfheart, but was with Irreligious and it's opening song Opium, that I realized that this band would go far.
The only downside to them is their web presence... having MySpace as their main website is so bad... terrible performance and limited design. An area that the band should work on.